


Not For Dummies

by Brumeier



Series: Bite Sized Fic 2020 [5]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Prompt Fill, Reality TV, Science Experiments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:00:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22406836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier
Summary: LJ Comment Fic for 80’s TV Shows prompt:Stargate: Atlantis, Any, Mr. Wizard’s WorldIn which Rodney is pitching a science show but it doesn't go well.
Relationships: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Series: Bite Sized Fic 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1610332
Comments: 10
Kudos: 39
Collections: Bite Sized Bits of Fic from 2020





	Not For Dummies

“And that’s how you make a fully-functional, portable matter bridge.”

Rodney ended with a flourish, the very small matter bridge glowing prettily in the containment unit. And then frowned at the silence that greeted him. Where was the applause? Where was the promise of a lucrative television deal?

“Do you think I need a catchphrase? I’ve been working on something along the lines of ‘science isn’t for dummies’ but nothing’s locked in yet.”

The studio rep stepped forward, her gray pantsuit looking freshly pressed even though it was well past lunch. Her hair was pulled back in a tidy bun and she had a pen tucked behind her ear.

“Dr. McKay. Let’s set aside the catchphrase for the moment, and talk about the demographics you’re hoping to reach with this show.”

“Oh. Well, kids, obviously. _Mr. Wizard’s World_ was very inspiring to me during my formative years, and I wanted to do something along those lines.”

Rodney had always wanted to know how the world worked, even as a very young boy. Watching people like Mr. Wizard and Carl Sagan had only reinforced that for him. These days there was an over-abundance of mindless television available to rot young minds, so Rodney wanted to put out educational programming that was also fun. 

The rep gestured at the matter bridge. “Is this representative of the level of experiment you’ll be conducting?”

“Well, this is pretty basic. I have more complex projects lined up.”

The rep nodded. “Dr. McKay, I appreciate your enthusiasm for your subject, but we can’t have children building bridges to alternate universes in their homes. I’m sure you can see the inherent dangers in that.”

“Oh. What if we insist on proper supervision?”

“I wouldn’t trust grad level university students with this experiment, to be perfectly frank with you. Perhaps you should revisit Mr. Wizard and try to emulate his level of science.” The rep pulled out her phone and started tapping out a text message. “Call my secretary when you have something simpler to show us.”

She walked away, a trail of people following along behind her, and left Rodney with his tiny matter bridge still sparkling on the table. He wasn’t accustomed to being dismissed, or having his ideas shot down, and he didn’t like the way it felt.

“You okay, buddy?”

John came out from the shadowed wings of the sound stage, where he’d been watching Rodney’s pitch.

“Can you believe the nerve of that woman?” Rodney shut down the matter bridge, and pulled out the case it would be transported in. “She wants me to dumb it down! Clearly she has no idea how stupid the general population already is. We need to dial up the intelligence!”

“Maybe you just need to come at it a different way,” John suggested, leaning against the table in that distractingly boneless way of his. He pulled Rodney in and gave him a kiss.

“What way?”

“Instead of showing them how to build a matter bridge, what if you explained what one is? I bet no-one else is talking to kids about stuff like that.”

“Hmm. Your idea might have some merit.”

“I’m not just another pretty face, you know.”

Rodney kissed the smirk off John’s admittedly very pretty face. “I wouldn’t be with you otherwise.”

He’d give John’s suggestion some thought. It wouldn’t be as fun as a hands-on experiment, of course, but maybe if they had some cool special effects and graphics it could appeal to the demographic Rodney was shooting for. He’d have to brainstorm with Radek.

“Come on,” John said, picking up the case. “I’ll treat you to ice cream.”

They walked out of the studio together, bickering about which flavors were better, and Rodney forgot all about the rejection.


End file.
